Scanning And Photography

[Paulus]

New topic as requested ...

[Paulus]

End of previous topic:

@Peckris

What do you mean with settings? Post-scan I might adjust brightness and contrast, sharpness and the depth of color...

By the way, using a scanner and Photoshop it is possible to show even this:

How on earth did you manage to scan the edge?

i was going to ask the same thing some sort of panoramic camera feature maybe?

I find this topic interesting, but would you guys mind creating a new thread to post all of this discussion. Not only is it off topic, but no one in the future is going to think to look in a "post your copper coins" thread for photography/scanner discussion.

You are right! We should either split that discussion into a second thread or you guys may contact me and discuss your issues via PM.

But so far I want to answer the previous questions...

Well, for showing the edge with a scanner you need a lot of patience and you have to perform a lot of work. That image a the edge took me three dozens of single scans plus three additional hours of puzzling the single images into that big one...

Edited November 15, 2013 by Paulus

[jaggy]

I have an Epson Perfection 4490 scanner but have never used it for coins.

I also have a Nikon 5100 DSLR which I mount on a tripod. The coin is set on a piece of white paper and I zoom in on it s far as the autofocus will allow. I use the remote control to take the photo so that there is no vibration and I always use the built in flash. I then bring the photo into Photoshop for cropping and any fine adjustments to the lighting that are needed. I never play with the colour adjustment.

[Paulus]

Well, for showing the edge with a scanner you need a lot of patience and you have to perform a lot of work. That image a the edge took me three dozens of single scans plus three additional hours of puzzling the single images into that big one...

ChKy, I was hoping you had found a clever way of capturing the image of the edge, I can't see myself spending hours on each coin! However, once you have several images it shouldn't be too hard to assemble them in to a collage ... I find Paint.net (free) excellent for this.

I wish CGS (the only TPG I have used so far) would take pics of the edge before slabbing, particularly where the edge is an important part of the type identification and/or grade!

Edited November 15, 2013 by Paulus

[ChKy]

ChKy, I was hoping you had found a clever way of capturing the image of the edge, I can't see myself spending hours on each coin! However, once you have several images it shouldn't be too hard to assemble them in to a collage ... I find Paint.net (free) excellent for this.

To find a way to show this edge is clever. But nothing is free of charge in life...

In order to achieve something you have to invest work and patience in advance. You might find a device for photographs, which does that kind of images quickly. But you have to invest a significant amount of money then.

[rpeddie]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

[brg5658]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

[azda]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

And therein lies the answer to peoples questions of your scan and photography. You are semi Professional or a Professional photographer. Looking forward to your helpful tips

[ChKy]

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

well... because most people here are coin collectors and not prifessional photographers?

I had a look onto Goodman´s web side. The posted pictures are outstanding! The coins he showed are exceptional in grade and value. A professional photographer does generate his/her income by making images of such coins. It would be far too expensive to let him perform images of my common coins for example.

For the common coin collector a scanner is first choice. It is easy to handle in addition to the fact that nearly every owner of a computer does have a scanner as well. So it is obvious to use a scanner. And with experience and the right hard/software in hand you are able to produce acceptable images as well.

[Peter]

Brg

Next you will be telling us Catherine Zeta Jones is posing for you holding some coins (gloved).

I saw some pictures of her at 44 and she is still gorgeous beyond belief.

You can't scan her.

[Nick]

The information from Mark Goodman's web site was what I used as inspiration for my setup.

[Peckris]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

Will you PLEASE stop with all that. Some of us have no choice.

[brg5658]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

Will you PLEASE stop with all that. Some of us have no choice.

Peckris, no harm or foul was intended in my message. I was merely replying to Paulus' link to the Goodman book. The book has good tips for all coin photography and imaging. There is no reason to read into my post a personal attack -- none was intended.

[brg5658]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

And therein lies the answer to peoples questions of your scan and photography. You are semi Professional or a Professional photographer. Looking forward to your helpful tips

I consider myself "semi-professional" -- I do not do coin photography 1) full-time or 2) as a means to support myself financially. I have a completely unrelated day job, and coin collecting and photography are hobbies. By semi-professional I mean that I have spent a great deal of time practicing and tweaking (30,000+ images), and I have imaged coins for customers at their request, not by advertising or pushing myself as a business (as I am not!).

For the record, I also don't shoot with some astronomically priced camera and lens. I shoot with a low-end DSLR, an bellows from the 1970s, and a duplicating/enlarging lens. My entire set up cost less than a "good" macro lens that people like Mark Goodman use.

Anyway, I am actually quite impressed with the edge scanning images of ChKy, and some of the others here are far better than most scans I have seen. I look forward to more discussion in this thread.

[ChKy]

Lets start then...

[ChKy]

[ChKy]

[ChKy]

[rpeddie]

what is this wizardry? done by fixing 30+ pictures together like previously mentioned in the other thread?

[ChKy]

what is this wizardry? done by fixing 30+ pictures together like previously mentioned in the other thread?

Japp, if you promise not to burn me on a stake, I admit that kind of wizardry...

[Peckris]

ive not read through the whole website seems like quite alot of jiggery stuff but might be of help to some?

zelda

I'm not sure if Numismatic Photography has much of a following of interested persons outside the USA, but Mark Goodman's book that you linked to is superb. I know of about two dozen or so of us semi-professional and professional numismatic photographers here in the USA, none of whom use scanners. There's a reason for that.

Will you PLEASE stop with all that. Some of us have no choice.

Peckris, no harm or foul was intended in my message. I was merely replying to Paulus' link to the Goodman book. The book has good tips for all coin photography and imaging. There is no reason to read into my post a personal attack -- none was intended.

I didn't take it as such. But you were unintentionally tactless, so I'd just ask you to accept that if someone says they can only use a scanner, then leave it at that rather than implying that photography is the only worthwhile medium for reproducing coins.

[rpeddie]

what is this wizardry? done by fixing 30+ pictures together like previously mentioned in the other thread?

ill need to give it a go once i get the whole taking a picture of the obverse and reverse to a decent quality down......which i still kind of suck at.

on a side note other apologies to sidetrack but i cant seem to find anywhere how the edge lettering is done wondered if someone knows?

from what ive read there is no definitive answer whether it is done before or during the striking of the faces?

if anyone knows anything i appreciate it

[ChKy]

from what ive read there is no definitive answer whether it is done before or during the striking of the faces?

if anyone knows anything i appreciate it

Well... both is possible. In Germany for example they struck the edge lettering first and the obverse and reverse design is driven into the metal surface afterwards. In UK coins were minted with a collar as far as I know.

Edited November 16, 2013 by ChKy

[davidrj]

ill need to give it a go once i get the whole taking a picture of the obverse and reverse to a decent quality down......which i still kind of suck at.

on a side note other apologies to sidetrack but i cant seem to find anywhere how the edge lettering is done wondered if someone knows?

from what ive read there is no definitive answer whether it is done before or during the striking of the faces?

if anyone knows anything i appreciate it

From memory (a talk by Rob I think) an edge lettering collar was invented by the French engraver Droz who introduced it to Boulton when he worked at the SOHO mint - that big 1792 2 sols I posted the other day in the Copper Coins thread has the edge inscription "DEPARTMENS DE PARIS. RHONE ET LOIRE. DU GARD. &" -

Scanning edges - a project to try!

Eeek! I seen to have acquired divinity with this post, a philosophic conundrum for self belief!

Edited November 16, 2013 by davidrj

[brg5658]

ill need to give it a go once i get the whole taking a picture of the obverse and reverse to a decent quality down......which i still kind of suck at.

on a side note other apologies to sidetrack but i cant seem to find anywhere how the edge lettering is done wondered if someone knows?

from what ive read there is no definitive answer whether it is done before or during the striking of the faces?

if anyone knows anything i appreciate it

From memory (a talk by Rob I think) an edge lettering collar was invented by the French engraver Droz who introduced it to Boulton when he worked at the SOHO mint - that big 1792 2 sols I posted the other day in the Copper Coins thread has the edge inscription "DEPARTMENS DE PARIS. RHONE ET LOIRE. DU GARD. &" -

Scanning edges - a project to try!

Eeek! I seen to have acquired divinity with this post, a philosophic conundrum for self belief!

There are two main method of applying edge lettering.

The first method is the Castaing-machine, which consisted of two flat "edge dies", each with half of the final text for the lettered edge. The planchet was rolled between the two dies by hand (or mechanically), thus squeezing the lettering into the edge and upsetting the rims a bit on the planchet.

The 2nd method (as mentioned by davidrj) was that invented by Droz (and partially pilfered by Boulton) which consisted of a multi-part edge-collar-die. This contraption was far more complicated than the Castaing machine, as it required the edge collar pieces to retract after the coin had been struck so that the coin could be ejected. Coins struck with a multi-part edge-collar die are able to be distinguished from those created using the Castaing machine because there are almost always "seams" visible on the edge between the multiple sections of the edge collar.

Spanish portrait and pillar dollars used the Castaing method. Most if not all Conder tokens (18th Century British Provincial Tokens) were lettered using the Castaing method, as Droz's method was never brought to full fruition (too many moving parts?).

Many modern world coins struck for circulation with lettered edges are run through a Schuler Edge Lettering Machine (or equivalent) after they are struck in a smooth collar (i.e., the edge lettering is applied after striking). However, modern proof and specimen coinage struck at lower speeds may employ a Droz-type multi-piece edge collar for lettering -- but this method proved incompatible with the speed at which circulation strike coins were minted.